TCG Playmat Sizes Explained: 24” x 14” vs. 28” x 14” and Which to Choose
If you're shopping for a playmat, you'll almost always see two sizes: standard (24" x 14") and extended (28" x 14"). Standard fits most players and most games, while extended gives you a little more elbow room. We print, press, and ship both sizes in-house, and we've watched plenty of customers go back and forth on this decision. Here's how we'd think it through.
Standard 24" x 14"
The standard mat is the size most trading card games and tournaments are built around, at 600 x 350 mm. Two of them fit side by side on a typical store table, one for you and one for your opponent, with a little room left over for tokens, dice, and other small accessories. Pokémon, Magic: the Gathering, Riftbound, Lorcana: if it's a card game, the standard mat is probably all you'll ever need.
Extended 28" x 14"
The extended mat adds four inches of width. That doesn't sound like much until a deck, a discard pile, dice, tokens, and a life counter all compete for the same real estate. Commander players love the extra room, and so does anyone whose board gets crowded by the midgame. Plenty of our customers use theirs as a desk mat on off nights, since a keyboard and mouse fit on it with no trouble.
Picking Your Size
Your table matters more than anything. If your local store packs tables tight on tournament night, standard is the safer bet, and your neighbors will thank you. Then think about your game. If your turns usually end with a pile of cards and tokens spread across the table, the extended mat earns its keep. Heading to a big event? A quick look at the organizer's rules ahead of time can save you from showing up with a mat that hangs off the table.
Still Deciding?
Both sizes use the same 3 mm thickness and printing quality, so the choice really comes down to space. When you're ready, the Custom Playmats collection offers both sizes, and Playmat Studio lets you add your own art to either one. Our playmat FAQ answers the questions we hear most about sizing, materials, and care.